Learn how to create message automations in Hostaway, choose triggers, configure channels and listings, use dynamic fields, and send the right message at the right time.
Intro
Use this guide to create and configure message automations in Hostaway. You will learn how to choose triggers, define timing, apply conditions, personalize messages with fields, and target the right channels and listings.
How to create a message automation
To create an automation, please follow the next steps:
Go to your Hostaway Dashboard > Inbox > Automations
In the top right corner, click on Create new +
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Fill the following field depending on your needs
Automation name. For Internal use
Send it by SMS. Read about the SMS feature
CC email. To send a copy of the automation
Subject. Will be displayed if it is sent as an email. You can use fields
Message. Enter your message. Remember to use fields (Read more below)
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Send automation for:
Guest stays (default — and this remains selected for all existing automations)
Owner stays
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Guests and the owner stay
This helps you standardize owner communications, reduce manual follow-ups, and deliver a consistent service experience across every stay type.
Languages. Read more here
Channels. You can select one or multiple channels
Listings. You can select one of multiple listings
Add automatically new listings. If you are adding new listings, do you want them to be added to this automation or not
Apply listing Timezone. If you want to apply the listing timezone or not
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Always trigger. If this automation is outside of the event rule (i.e., guest booked for tomorrow but the event is 4 days before check-in), do you want to send it or not?
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When the Always Trigger is Active:
- If a reservation arrives after check-in but before check-out, the automation with Always Trigger enabled will be sent.
- If a reservation arrives after check-out, the automation will not be sent, even with Always Trigger enabled.
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Choose an event trigger
Event Trigger. Select when you would like this automation to be sent.
Automations can be created for all channels or multiple channels, all listings, multiple listings selection, or based on one listing, or it can be channel-specific:
Reservation. The message is sent when a new reservation comes in
Guest Arrival (check-in). Message sent to the guest based on arrival day/time
Guest Departure (check-out). Message sent to the guest during or after check-out
Guest Inquiry
Pending reservation
Reservation Cancellation
Payment Success. Only applicable for Hostaway-managed charges through a payment processor, for channels that handle charges directly, such as Airbnb, it's better to use the "Is Paid" status trigger
Payment Fail
Day of the week trigger options
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Day of the week. A specific day of the week/specific time. Allows you to choose a day of the week and a time when the messages will be sent while a reservation is ongoing. After selecting the days and the time, you will visualize two boxes:
Trigger on check-in day: if selected, the automation will be triggered after the check-in time
Trigger on check-out day: if selected, the automation will be triggered after the check-out time
Message received trigger options
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Message received. Sometimes it is interesting to trigger message automation depending on the time messages are received, for example, to create out-of-office messages or to just inform the guests that they will be answered soon. To bring more possibilities, we added some extra options:
Trigger only for the first guest message in the thread
Trigger on specific days and hours for a timezone
Other trigger options
Door code created
Online check-in form submitted
Guest submitted a review. You can trigger automation messages to guests when or after a review has been submitted. A possible use case could be to send them a message to thank them for the review. This automation is triggered by published reviews
Pre-auth hold success. You can set up automation when the pre-auth is a success. There might be a reservation that has more than one pre-auth. If even one is “hold success,” it is enough for the condition to apply
Online check-in is available. If this event is selected, the message will be sent whenever the Online check-in form is available on the Guest Portal
Using fields and custom fields in messages
You can use fields and custom fields for your automated messages.
The field you select from the dropdown will automatically add the value that belongs to it when an email is sent out to a guest.
For example, if you write "Hello "guest_name", it will then take the name of the guest from the reservation details and replace this text with "Hello John Doe":
Likewise, you can select custom fields and add them to the automation messages that you create:
Add photos to message automations using custom fields
If you want to add photos to a message automation, you can use custom fields following the next steps:
- Save a photo on Google Drive
- Go to your Hostaway Dashboard > Listings > Manage custom fields
- Add custom field > Custom field name > Add new field
- Go to Listings > Edit > Custom fields > Paste the Google Drive photo link > Save
- Go to Inbox > Automations > Select the Automation > Edit
- Select the listing custom field from the dropdown
- Save
You can find more information about custom fields in this article.
Additional Conditions for Automations
You can customize your automations based on specific conditions such as the number of guests, length of stay, guest review, and more.
This helps ensure that the right message is sent to the right guest, depending on the details of their reservation.
For example, if a guest books a stay for more than two weeks, you might want to send them different messages than if their reservation is for just two days.
How Additional Conditions Work
- These conditions are supported across all channels connected to Hostaway, including Booking.com and Airbnb.
- If you set up a condition based on, for instance, a guest review, it will apply to reservations from both Booking.com and Airbnb.
Important Notes:
- Once an automation with additional conditions is created, you cannot modify the conditions. This helps keep the system simple and avoids complexity in managing pre-generated messages.
- Automations will only be sent if the specified conditions are met when the initial trigger is active. If the conditions are not met within the trigger timeframe, the message will not be sent.
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Reservation trigger exception. When Reservation is selected as the trigger event, the additional conditions are evaluated not only when the event occurs, but also whenever the reservation is updated and at several points throughout the day. If the conditions are met during any of these checks, the message is created and sent.
For all other trigger events, all conditions must be met at the moment the trigger occurs; otherwise, the message will not be sent later. If the Always trigger checkbox is enabled, other trigger events will behave in the same way as the Reservation trigger event.
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Reservation trigger exception. When Reservation is selected as the trigger event, the additional conditions are evaluated not only when the event occurs, but also whenever the reservation is updated and at several points throughout the day. If the conditions are met during any of these checks, the message is created and sent.
By using additional conditions, you can tailor your communication more effectively and ensure the right message reaches your guests at the right time.
Listing availability condition
Send messages depending on "Listing Availability."
Using the "listing Availability" condition will automate messages to be sent only if the listing is available for a given number of days before/after the stay. You can choose the number of days, and whether the condition is for the exact number of days, equal to or more than that number, or between a range.
For example, you can choose to send a special offer to extend their stay only if the listing is available at least 2 days before/after their reserved stay. This is useful to be able to upsell and make use of vacant days between reservations.
Advance time condition
Send a message automation based on the "Advance Time."
Reservation custom fields condition
Send messages as per "Reservation Custom Fields"
This condition allows sending message automation according to the values of the reservation custom fields. This allows the creation of custom messaging flows that depend on specific and fully customizable characteristics of each reservation. The options for the condition are is, is not, contains, is empty, and is not empty.
Every time a custom field is changed, we check if the automation rules still apply so that you can change those fields freely, and the automation will cancel/resume accordingly. Combined with guests' ability to update custom fields through the guest portal, this is a very powerful tool for customizing message automation.
How send time works
The time for sending out messages can be set freely depending on the event. In this way, you can send messages minutes, hours, or days before or after the event. Keep in mind that some channels generate temporary guest email addresses that might be deleted before your automation message has been sent out. You can get the personal email address from your guest as soon as possible to make sure you can reach out to them after check-out.
Example: If you have set an automated message based on 1 hour before or 1 hour after a check-in event, this is based on the check-in time listed in the reservation details. If the time was not provided by the channel, it takes the standard check-in time from the listing details.
For more information about send time, please check our dedicated article about the topic.
Notes
- The amounts cannot be superior to 60 days or their equivalent in hours/minutes
- For Booking.com, the property can send messages from the time of booking until seven days after check-out or seven days after cancellation
- The automatic messaging process includes a two-hour buffer after the configured event trigger time to handle and dispatch any delayed messages, even when "Always Trigger" is off.